Bob & Dawn Sweigart | For Mercy's Sake

Bob & Dawn Sweigart

Bob & Dawn Sweigart co-founded For Mercy's Sake in 2001 with a cry for the Bride to walk in greater mercy, holiness, and power. While the ministry of For Mercy's Sake extends across this country, Bob & Dawn are especially knit to the nation of Romania. They are laboring to see this cry to the Bride answered through providing relief amongst the orphaned, the poor, and the outcast. The heart of God is demonstrated over and over, from Genesis to Revelation, and as we follow Him we MUST visit the orphans and widows, share our bread with the hungry, house the outcast, clothe the naked...and love mercy.

In 2002 Dawn Sweigart was invited to speak at a national prayer conference in Timisoara, Romania. During the course of her time there she was introduced to Dr. Elisabeth Malonovic, who oversaw the pediatric unit of the Timisoara hospital. When Dawn visited the hospital she was surprised to learn that for 42 infants in the special needs unit there were only three nurses, and none of the infants were making a sound. Dr. Elisabeth explained that this was because the babies were all at least three days old. After three days, if an infant continually cries but no one comes, as a survival instinct they will stop crying. The hospital's conditions were antiquated, at best. There were no infant oxygen masks, only adult-sized masks held together by duct tape and so shooting oxygen into premature babies’ eyes, which renders many of them blind. There were improperly sized nasogastric tubes which scar the babies’ sinuses and IVs that could only be used through the skull because of the large size of the needles. The babies who had been abandoned had no diapers and were lying on plastic bags. Most of them died...without a name.

Upon arriving home to the U.S., Dawn and her husband Bob met with their board. It was immediately decided that all efforts should be directed towards relieving the suffering of the orphaned and abandoned in Romania. Within a year, a partnership with Hershey Medical Center was formed and since 2003, For Mercy’s Sake has been bringing in excess medical supplies from wealthy American hospitals to be used for those in Romania who have nothing.
Since 2003 the ministry has expanded to reach beyond Timisoara to nearby and remote villages, helping both the young and the old. And just as the territory has expanded, so has the provision from For Mercy’s Sake. We now bring educational materials, food, warm clothing, reading glasses, and vitamins, in addition to the medical supplies for hospitals and clinics. We partner with local schools and churches in each outreach site in order to best access the neediest children and families. For Mercy’s Sake hosts day-long health clinics, providing free check-ups and medical care in villages across the country. Through the generosity of individuals, churches, and business, we have been reaching out, along with medical and dental professionals who have volunteered their time and skills.

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